Italian e-invoicing in 2019

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Italian e-invoicing will be mandatory on all B2B transactions as from 1 January 2019.

Our article To do list for Italian electronic invoices explains the steps that you must take in order to start adapting your ERP system to produce and receive e-invoices according to Italian local requirements. Contact us if you would like to receive more information about our web-based solution for Italian e-invoicing.

Implementation date

The new obligation is expected to be rolled out in different phases:

All supplies of petrol and diesel were expected to require an e-invoice as from 1 July 2018. This deadline has recently been postponed until 1 January 2019.

As from 1 September 2018, the obligation will apply to all supplies for personal use with a value above € 15

As from 1 January 2019, e-invoices will be required on all B2B transactions in Italy.

The 1 July deadline on petrol and diesel was delayed in the last minute. This extension suggests that a similar delay may apply on the 1 January deadline, however, this has not been confirmed and businesses should work on the basis of 1 January as the final deadline.

Who is obliged to issue and receive Italian e-invoices?

All Italian established businesses are required to issue and receive their invoices electronically.

Non-established companies are not in the scope of Italian e-invoices. This group of companies were excluded in the recent Notice 13/E issued on 2 July 2018.

Small businesses who benefit from the flat rate scheme and other SME VAT schemes are also not in scope of this new obligation (regimes di vantaggio and forgettario)

Excluding non-established companies from this new obligation means in practice an exception from the AR and AP processes of all established companies. All businesses registered for VAT in Italy must check with their suppliers and customers to double check if they should also implement e-invoicing so that they don’t create a burden on their business partners.

Penalties on Italian e-invoicing

As from January 2019, where a supplier issues an invoice on paper or other means outside the legal e-invoicing requirement will be considered as not issued. Penalties for not issuing a valid invoice range from 90% to 180% of the VAT due.

Customers should also ensure that they receive their invoice in XMLPA format. If the e-invoicing obligation is not fulfilled, VAT on this invoice will not be deductible. If VAT deduction is not voluntarily regularized with e-invoices received, the client will face a penalty of 100% of the VAT deducted with a minimum of €250.

Cross-border transactions will be subject to a separate penalty regime. A penalty of € 2 per invoice will apply on each transaction that has not been documented with an e-invoice. A maximum penalty of €1,000 applies on this regime. It is also possible to reduce the final sanction by 50% if a regularization is done within 15 days from the moment the invoice should have been issued.

Next steps to comply with e-invoicing in Italy

You must confirm if you are required to issue and receive Italian e-invoices if you are carrying out activities in Italy, even as non-established registered for VAT.

Our To do list on Italian e-invoicing will help you reviewing the steps that you must take to confiture your ERP and ensure that all data, finance processes and IT requirements are in line with the new obligation.

Contact us to know more our solution to comply with the new e-invoicing obligations in Italy.